[aBootes]

The scientists suspect the new species became extinct after a massive volcanic eruption on the island about 12,000 years ago.

Historical-critical source of Mt. Doom / Tower of Baradur myths...

[BadAndy]

"It challenges the whole idea of what it is that makes us human."

No, it doesn't. From the info in the story it is probably an ape. How does discovering a new type of monkey challenge what makes us human? Because it was short? Ever hear of pygmys?

[KosmicKitty]

The partial skeleton of Homo floresiensis, found in a cave on the island of Flores, is of an adult female that was a metre (3 feet) tall, had a chimpanzee-sized brain and was substantially different from modern humans. It shared the isolated island to the east of Java with miniature elephants and Komodo dragons. The creature walked upright, probably evolved into its dwarf size because of environmental conditions and coexisted with modern humans in the region for thousands of years.

Yes, but what the article fails to mention is that this new find consisted of strictly economists. We now know where Robert Reich and Paul Krugman come from. :-)